Monkeypod Kitchen Wailea General Manager Tori Hudson (center) holds the Adopt-A-Highway No Ka Oi Highway Hui Award, surrounded by some of her fellow employees who regularly volunteer for the public service program. — Courtesy photo

Monkeypod Kitchen recently received the No Ka Oi Highway Hui Award from the state Department of Transportation Highways Division — Maui District in recognition of its participation in the Adopt-A-Highway program.

The restaurant has two Adopt-A-Highway locations, from Mile Marker 3.5 to 5.5 along the Piilani Highway in Wailea and from Mile Marker 16 to 18 along Honoapiilani Highway in Lahaina.

According to state Department of Transportation Program Manager Ty Fukuroku, “Monkeypod Kitchen’s Wailea restaurant has participated in the Adopt-A-Highway program since at least 2013. It adopted its second segment in 2018 after opening its Kaanapali location.

“Monkeypod Kitchen is a great community partner,” Fukuroku said. “They’ve been very consistent in organizing at least four cleanups annually, typically involving 20 volunteers who remove 20 to 30 bags of trash each time, and sending in their cleanup data, which helps with overall program management. We’re very appreciative of their contributions to the program and to Maui’s environment.”

For more information about the Adopt-A-Highway program on Maui, visit www. stormwatermaui.com.